Apparatus for ornamenting gum jewelry



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

NORMAN LANPHEAR, OF MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR ORNAM'ENTING GUM JEWELRY, &G.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40.053,(lated September 22, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN LANPHEAR,

ot' Monmouth, in the county of Warren and State of' Illinois, have invented a new and 1mproved Method of Ornamenting Gum-Jewelry, 85e.; and Ido hereby declare that the following isa `full,clear, and exact description of the same-reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partot' this specication, in which-'- Figure 1 represents a side elevation ot' the tool which I use to carry out my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a ring orna- Inented according to my invention.

Similar letters of reference in both figures indicate corresponding parts.

The methods heretofore used to inlay gums and soft substances with ornaments have consisted either in heating the gum, shell, or other substance with the pressing-tool in hot water, or heating the pla-te which received the gum, and thus imparting heat to the gum. In both cases the whole body of gum was heated and expanded, thus preventing the possibility of forming rings and other articles of aunitorm size.

M yl improvement consists in an apparatus which may be adapted for use by heating that portion of the tool only which presses or forces the ornaments into the gum.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a tool such as I use for setting letters and other ornaments in rings and other jewelry made of gutta-percha or other gum. This tool is provided with an anvil, a, to receive and support the ring or other article while it is exposed to the pressure of the jaw b. This jaw is made to it to the surface of the ring or other article, and a set-screw, c, prevents said jaw from closing up any farther than desirable. The anvil is provided with a lip or gage to insure a correct position of thering or other article. The tool may also be provided with a punch, d, to punch out the letters or ornaments to be inserted in the gum, or a ,separate punch or die may be used for this purpose.

In order to insert a letter or other ornament in the surface of the ring or other article, I heat the jaw b while the tool is open. I then adjust the letter or ornament upon the ring in position, and place it upon the anvil a, and close the ltool until the point of the set-screw c strikes and prevents the tool from closing any farther. The jaw and anvil, with the ring, are then suddenly cooled by immersing in water while the pressure is maintained. The expansion ot' the gum is thus prevented, and when cold the letter or other ornament is Iirmy embedded in the gum; The lettering or inlaying is done while the ring or other ar' ticle is iu its rough state, and after all the letters and ornaments are properly set, the surl'ace of the ring or other article, with that ot the letters or ornaments, are polished simultaneously. y

By the application of the heated tool the time required for inserting one letter or other ornament is very short-generally .not over. three seconds-and by making the letters or ornaments slightly tapering toward the lower surface, or by making said lower surface ar little longer than the upper, the gum closes up over it and retains the same rmly in its place.

It is obvious that .various tools might be used to accomplish the same object, and I dol not wish to conne myself to the precise construction ot the tool which I have described and represented.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The forming of letters or other devices in or upon the surface ot' articles of gutta-percha, india-rubber, or other' gum, by the use of the clamping-tool A, anvil a, diestock b, and setscrew c, all constructed, combined, and arranged as herein shown and described, so as to be adapted for use by heating that portion only of the tool which presses or forees'the dies or devices into the gum.

NORMAN LANPHEAR.

Witnesses:

W. W. MARTIN, U. It. PATCIIEN. 

